Planning for the spring

I don't know where I heard about this Michigan company, but Old House Gardens has an amazing variety of bulbs. The catalog is more than a catalog; it's a story of spring to come, sort of an uplifting version of A Christmas Carol, but about flowers and spring instead of crusty old misers and Christmas. Read what they have to share about a particular variety of daffodil.

A daffodil from 1884? Get in my basket!

How could you not order Rip Van Winkle?

Or this tulip sampler?

I don't even like JFK (gasp!) and I'm sucked in.

Or this "rare beauty?"

Sold out! You snooze, you lose in the tulip game!

Old House Gardens makes it seem as though anyone is a few clicks away from a springtime paradise. When you enter your ZIP code, the site determines your planting zone (5b here) and you are warned if the item you're viewing isn't appropriate for your zone. You can also order whenever you want, but they won't ship things until it's time to plant. I could totally see myself squirreling away bulbs in the basement and forgetting about them completely, so I appreciate this approach. I ordered a few things in July for fall shipping and received notification yesterday that they are now on their way. This prompted me to visit the site again and I ordered a few more things, perhaps falling right into their clever marketing trap. Even so, what fun!

I will be receiving a very exciting delivery quite soon.

• Crocus: Jeanne d'Arc, Crocus Tapestry Sampler
• Daffodil: Rip Van Winkle, April Queen, Carlton
• Tulip: Bleu Aimable, Demeter, Mariette, White Triumphator
• Other: Turkish glory-of-the-snow, Purple-headed garlick [sic]

I have barely made my peace with fall. Winter doesn't excite me. Is it too early to be excited about spring?